Cartridge feeding mechanism



Aug; 5, 1958 w. B. BUTLER 2,845,733

CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

co co N N m n: c 2 u m n: 3 2 u.

' INVENTOR.

WALLACE B BUTLER Aug. 5, 1958 'w. B. BUTLER 2,845,733

' CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1955 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Aug. 5, 1958 w B. B UTLER 2,845,733

CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGURE 5 INVENTOR. WALLACE B.BUTLER w. B. BUTLER CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM Aug. 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 25, 1955 FIGURE 6 1 FIGURE 7 INVENTOR. WALLACE .B.BUTLER ATT R EY g- 195,8 w. B. BUTLEk 2,345,738

CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM 7 Filed May 23, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A FIGURE ll FIGURE IO INVEN TOR.

WALLACE.B.BUTLER BY FIGURE l2 2 2 2 9; TTOR EY 7 -2,845,738 I CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM ,..Wallace;. B. .Butler, Branltord,v Connq, assignor to Olin- ,Mathieson Chemical Corporation," New Haven, Conn.,

a corporation of Virginia 7 v:ApplicationMay 23, 1955; Se'rialfiNo;i51l l;352 2 Claims. 1 (.Cl. 42,-1 7

'l hisinvention relates to a firearm and more particularly to a tubular" magazine and 'feedmech'anism for a -se'mi-automatic rifle. i

:Inithe various gun actions; employed,--the aspect of storing and -feeding cartridges to the chamber always :"presents itself.v The'prior art-discloses that generally box' -type magazines aflixed to the: -receiver""'(- U.'S. -"';2,6'4 2,688), tubular magazines afiixed underneath-the ba'rrelKUJ S; 2,261,976), and tubular magazines within -the gun' stocktU: S. 2,263,918) are well known. But as wean beseen from these disclosures, such'rnagazines and {their 1 feed systems are frequently only adaptable to the specific gun action employed by the gun upon which they throat showing a cartridge as it passes through the bend of the throat tube, and I I Figure 10 is a sideview of the bend of the throat showing the operation of the safety indents of the throat, and Figure 11 is a perspective view partly in section sh0W- ing the operation of the sheared indents of the throat in preventing a mis-aligne'd cartridge from being fed tothe gun, and

Figure 12 is a cross view of. the bend of the throat shown in Figure lO taken on line A--A, and

' T he objects'of this invention are generally accomplished by providing the semi-automatic rifle with a barrel -afiixed tubular magazine whose outer surfaceactsas a guide for the operating slideof the gun, said slide operating a cartridge feed system having a cartridge carrier and a cartridge cutofl.- The throat of the tubular magazine is of such designv that it'wedges mis-aligned cartridges within itself thus insuring the proper feeding of cartridges in 5 properly' aligned fashion to the chamber of the gun.

1 Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more i detailed des-cription,':the tubular magazine and novel cartridge feed mechanism ofthisirrvention consists of a magazine inside tube 11, slidably engaged within a magazine outside tube 12 having a cartridge insertion opening "19 on its undersurface. At the forward end of the magazine are afiixed. Thus new gun actions require newly designed magazines and cartridge feed mechanisms.

' An 'objectofthis invention is to provide a-tubular maga- 'z'ine'for a novel semi automatic rifle. Another object'of ilthis invention is to provide a novel throat assembly for thetubular-magazine of said semi-automatic rifle. 'And -tanother' object of thisinVeritidn'is-to provide a, novel cai tr'idge feed mechanism for; a novel semi-automatic, i-wtubular magazine'rifi e. A further'object ofithisinvention 1 I is to provide a tubular magazine for a'novel semi-autoa iifle which acts as a guide for thegoperating; slide ffsaids-rifle. A still further object of this invention is ":fto provide a novel cartridge carrier-mechanism which is operated upon by the operating slide of said semiautoaticf'rifl'e. And a'stillfurther object 'of thisinvention is to provide anovel cartridge carrier mechanism having a novel, method for cartridge cut-ofi'of the tubular magazinecf said novel; semi-automatic'rifle. Other objects ill become' apparent-to those skilled in theqa'rtupon r eading thefollowing detaileddisclosure with. drawings -iii hich: i i I i y Figure 1; is afragmentary perspective'view of the .semiautomatic rifle'upon which the tubular magazine shown "partly'in perspective andpartly in section andjthe novel ""'cartridgecarrierand feed mechanism have, been mounted,

fand

*partly' in-sectionof a forward continuationfof n a'gazine of'Fi gure 1 and f Figure? is a sectional viewjof vthe rific .fo f Figure 1,

f'showing the rear portion otthe agaz ne, and t e ca of the cartridgefeed system, and l 'fiIFi'gure, 4, is a fragmentary perspective viewjofithe cartridge-feed and throat assemblies mounted t lpon the receiver,-and

,Figure 5 is a leftperspectiveview ofv theoperating slide andreciprocable boltof the rifle ofilfig'ure 1, an'd l Figure 6 is afperspective view. of the cartridge feed "assemblycf' this invention in assembled,form,,ar 1d l "*Fi gure 7 is "a perspective view of the cartridgefeed assembly of thisinve'ntion in unassembled but located form, and

I Figure 8 is a perspective'view partly in sec'tion of the :i throatandrear-part of the tubular magazine, and I :Figure 9 is a perspective-view partly in section of the "fFigure 2 is a bottom view partly in ip'erspective and within the inside tube with a cross pin, better known as i a magazine plug'pin 15, which extends beyond theouter surface of the magazine insidetube 11, for the purpose ofengaging a locking slot lo -within theforward. wall of ville magazine outside tube 12.1 *Theislot as shown may "l be of L-shaped designed to enable locking of themaga- Uzine inside tube within the outside tube by turningwthe inside tube several degrees so that pin 15 enters thelock- I -ing channel of the slot.

-Within the magazine inside tube ll'and biased against the magazine plug '13 is amagazine spring 17. "A magazine follower 13 which is capable of reciprocable move- -Extending from -andcommunicating the breech "end sectionof-the tubular cavity'of the magazine inside" tube with a-cartridge feed mechanism for the gun described more fully below is a magazine throat 21. The throat 21, at its forward section, has an angular tube with a *shoulder 22 disposed on its lowermost side rearward of the bend 23 of the tube. -Triangular-indents 29-and'30 are located on the upper surface of the tube, the down- =-Ward directing pointof each indent substantially-opposite the lowermost angle of the shoulder 22 andth'e iowerrear surface of each indent substantially parallel to the inclined surface of the shoulder. 1 The depth of said shoulder is'of such dimension that it will; in cooperation Withthe' triangular indents, permit passage therethrough only when 1 1a cartri'clge hasits rim portion-facing rearwardly as'shown 1 -in the drawings. (See Figures 9 to 11 especially.) Under such conditions; the rim 2401 the cartridge Centers into the shoulderzz and is then guided upwardly'byithe inclined surface of the tube (see Figure-'10). If'- the rim portion were not facing rearwardly, it would be restricted from entering the 'shoulder22 because-the lower 'tipand body surface oftheindents and the upper angular surface of'the shoulder of the throat tube act as blocking memv bers upon the body oft hecartridge to prevent the rim} of the cartridge from passing 0 through -(see- Figure' l'l).

Thus a safety against feeding of mis-aligned cartridges is provided. v g i v 'The-throat is maintainedm communicat ng relationship with thecavity of the-magazine insidetube by-being Patented Aug. 5,; -1 958,

inserted partly into the breech end section of the magalocated within a receiver stud 25, which is affixed to the undersurface of the receiver 26, by means of a dovetail 27 of said stud and a dovetail slot 28 of said receiver. The stud has a longitudinal annular cavity 31 into which the magazine outside tube 12 and the tube portionof the magazine throat 21 can fit. The stud 25 also contains a vertically disposed threaded cavity 32 for receiving guard screw 33. L

The throat 21, at its rear section, comprises two vertically disposed sheet metal members 121 and 122. (See Figures 8, 9 and 11 especially.) Their rear edges are shaped to engage the undersurface of the receiver 26. Cross support sections 123 and 124 extend inwardly at right angles to the sides of the throat. Each flat side of the throat has an annular orifice, 125 and 126, which act as bearings for carrier pin 55. The upper surface of each of the sheet metal members, 121 and 122, have outward flaring cartridge guide members 129 and 130, respectively, at their forward portion and inward directed arched closure members 127 and 128, respectively, at their rear portion. The entire assembly, as shown, is shaped to fit under the receiver 26 and to permit the bolt 47 to sweep off cartridges from the carrier up the bullet ramp 61 and into the chamber.

Encircling the rear portion of the magazine outside tube 12 is a main spring washer 34 which acts as a rear support member for main spring 35. Circumferentially spaced projections 40 (only one shownsee Figure 3) extending outwardly from the surface of the outer tube act as stop members for the main spring washer. With the rearward force of the main spring upon these projections, the magazine outside tube is rearwardly spring biased against the throat. The throat protuberances 49 and 50 act to stop members against the magazine outside tube and hence the entire assembly, i. e., magazine tubes, throat and carrier are rearwardly spring biased causing the cross support sections 123 and 124 to abut against and be supported by a shoulder on the undersurface of the receiver 26. The main spring encircles and is guided in its operation by the magazine outside tube 12. An operating slide 36, consisting of squared U shaped vertically disposed sheet metal member having sides 37 and 38 and a frontal member 41,- encloses the side and front portions of the main spring. An operating handle 39 is secured to one of the sides. The frontal member 41 acts as an abutment for the muzzle end of the main spring. Horizontally disposed within the rear portion of each of said sides, 37 and 38, are cam slots 42 and 43 of angular shape. T slot sections 44 and 45 on the upper rear surface of said sides engage a T slot 46 on the undersurface of the reciprocable bolt 47 of the gun.

Pivoted to the throat, through carrier pin 55, is a cartridge feed assembly 48. The pin resides within a crosscavity 52 located within the upper rear portion of the assembly. The lower forward portion of the feed assembly contains a.horizontally disposed cross cavity 53 in which is contained a cartridge cutoff pin 54. This pin extends beyond the side edges of the cartridge feed assembly 48 into the angular cam slots 42 and 43 of the sheet metal members 37 and 38, respectively, of the operating slide 36. It acts as a cam to pivot thefeed assembly 48 about carrier pin 55. The upper forward edges of the cavity of the feed assembly act as a cartridge cutofi 56 for the magazine tube 11 when the assembly is pivoted upwardly across the opening of magazine throat 21.

The assembly has a longitudinal and vertical forward and upward opening cavity 51 therein, within which is an L shaped carrier 57 which is pivoted to carrier pin 55. A carrier spring 58 rests under the carrier 57.

When the cartridge cutoff 56 is swung upwardly, the carrier spring 58 is compressed. The compressed spring swings the carrier 57 upwardly when the bolt clears the feed assembly. Any cartridge resting upon the carrier is thereby presented in dispensing fashion to the bolt. The bolt during its reload stroke will sweep the cartride forwardly off the carrier and up the incline 61 of the barrel 62 of the gun.

The forward end of the tubular magazine is aflixed to the barrel of the gun by means of a magazine ring 63 which encircles the magazine and has a dovetailed upper surface 64 for insertion into dovetail slot 65 on the undersurface of the barrel of the gun. A magazine ring pin 66 inserted in a cavity 67 formed by the ring and the outer magazine tube prevents endwise movement of the tubular magazine.

The preferred rifle upon which the tubular magazine and feed mechanism is incorporated is that shown in copending patent application Serial No. 501,253, filed April 14, 1955 by Wallace B. Butler and entitled Firearm." It should be noted, however, that other semi-automatic bolt action rifles may be adapted for use with the magazine and feed mechanism of this invention.

The preferred rifle referred to above may be described broadly as consisting of a receiver 26, containing a reciprocable bolt 47. This bolt has an axially located annular cavity which contains a firing pin body 71, having a forwardly etxending firing pin 72 of the rim fire type which extends through the cartridge seat face 73 of the bolt. The firing pin body 71 is of substantially tubular shape, its inner surface having a shoulder thereon, the forward edge of which acts as an abutment for a firing pin spring 75 which spring loads the entire firing pin body and its contained elements to the rear. An ejector 76 of cylindrical shape, having a collar thereon at its midsection, is located within the cavity of the firing pin body 71, and protrudes centrally from the rear section of the shouldered cavity through the firing pin spring 75 and partially through an axial cavity within the cartridge seat face. Ejector spring 77, which encircles the rear portion of the ejector, acts to spring load it forwardly. An ejector spring pin 78 diametrically across the rear opening of the firing pin body, acts to retain the ejector spring within the body.

The undersurface of the reciprocable bolt is machined out so that the rearmost cartridge C, upon the cartridge carrier 57 can remain in position even with the bolt in battery position. When the bolt 47 moves rearwardly, the carrier forces the cartridge upwardly. Upon the reload stroke, the bolt sweeps ofi the cartridge into the chamber of the gun.

The upper section of the reciprocable bolt 47 contains an annular timing rod cavity 81 which contains a cylindrical timing rod 82 and a timing rod spring 83. The forward end Off the timing rod has a shoulder 84 which is engaged by the forward surface of a shoulder 85 on the inside surface of the timing rod cavity 81. The rear end of the timing rod has a timing rod collar 86 and a retaining ring 87. When the bolt is in battery condition, i. e., in a completely forward position, the timing rod spring is in an initially compressed state. When moved rearwardly, the timing rod 82 is spring loaded to the rear, forcing the collar projecting portion of the rod into a sear cavity 88 within the sear 91 to lock said sear in a position whereby if the shooter attempts to pull the trigger when the bolt is opened, the sear 91 will be locked against releasing the firing pin striker 92 if the striker is cocked. Hence, a safety against accidental firing of the ggia (prior to the bolt assuming full battery position is ena e Within a vertically disposed cavityin recoil block 93 of the receiver 26, is contained a sear-disconnector assembly. It consists of a double cup shaped sear 91, a sear spring 95, within the upper cup, a cup shaped disconnector 96 and a disconnector spring 111 in the lower cup of the sear. The timing rod enters into cavity 88 within the forwardly facing sidewall of the sear.

Within a horizontally disposed annular cavity 97 in the recoil block 93 iscontained a firing pin striker 92. having by the force of the depressed magazine spring.

by sear shoulder 105 or disconnector shoulder 106.

The sear-disconnector assembly is operated by a trigger 107 capable of pivotable movement about trigger pin 108. A trigger or disconnector spring 111 spring biases the trigger in a counterclockwise fashion about its pin 108.

A trigger guard 112 encloses the finger piece 113 of said trigger. The trigger guard 112 and the gun stock 119 are connected to the receiver by recoil block screw 114. Guard screw 115 and guard screw 33, having an escutcheon 117, connect the forward end of the gun stock 119 to the receiver.

The recoil block 93 also contains a cross channelled pin type safety 118 which can act to lock the trigger against movement.

In use, the tubular magazine of this invention is loaded by turning the finger piece 14 of the magazine plug 13 clockwise and pulled forwardly to free the magazine plug pin 15 from locking slot 16 within the magazine outside tube 12. Continued forward movement of the finger 'ing 19, the magazine inside tube is pushed into the outside tube, the plug pin 15 is engaged with the locking slot 16, and locked by turning the plug 13 several degrees so that the pin enters the inner section of the locking slot. Such action causes the magazine follower 18, magazine spring 17 and cartridges C to be spring biased rearwardly, the rearmost one onto the carrier 57, The magazine and carrier are now loaded and ready to dis.- pense cartridges to the chamber of the gun upon which 7 they may be incorporated.

' initially load the gun, the operating handle 39 is pulled rearwardly towards the receiver end of the gun. In so doing, the cartridge feed assembly 48 is cammedupward- 1y. With such camming, the cartridge cutoff 56 closes the opening of the throat of the assembly while simultaneously compressing the cartridge carrier spring 58. This compression of the spring, spring loads the carrier pivot ably upward. When the bolt 47 clears the rim of the cartridge resting on the carrier, the cartridge is pivoted upwardly. On the return stroke of the bolt, the cartridge is swept forwardly off the carrier up the incline 61 and into the chamber of the gun. Simultaneously, with such forward movement of the bolt, the cam slots 42 and 43 of the operating slide 36 cams the cartridge cutoff pin and hence, the cartridge cutofi downwardly. This releases pressure upon the carrier spring 58 and the carrier pivots downwardly to resume its normal angular position asshown in Figure 3. The new tube is then no longer blocked by the cartridge cutoff 56 and a new cartridge is forced rearwardly onto the carrier by action of the magazine spring 17.

After the gun is fired, a similar operation of the bolt, feed assembly and tube magazine, as discussed in the preceding paragraph,occurs with the exception that the .iclosedtin wthe copending .patent application referred to 7 With respectto. the operation of the gun shown in the drawing, a detailed description 'of the operation is disabovei Broadly, however, the operation can be described asfollows: g i To arm. the gun..and.to..load11the chamber .after the tubular magazine has been loaded with cartridges, the operating handle of the operating slide 36 is pulled in the direction leading to the recoil block of the gun. In so doing, the bolt 47 is moved rearwardly through the action of the operating slide '36 which pushes the bolt rearwardly through T section 44 and 45 and T slot 46 of the bolt. In being moved rearwardly, the bolt acting through the firing pin body 71, drives the firing pin striker 92 rearwardly. Compression of the firing pin striker spring 102 occurs and is maintained in such a state until the trigger 107 is pulled due to automatic cocking of the firing pin striker 92 at its cocking shoulder 104 by sear 91 or disconnector 96. And, as indicated above, the trigger, if pulled continuously after a firing of the gun, must first be released and then repulled in order to release the automatic cocking operation of the sear and the disconnector mechanism.

Obviously, modifications can be made in the tubular magazine and cartridge feed mechanism of this invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed by the appended claims. It also should be understood that the magazine and feed mechanism are adaptable for guns other than that shown in the drawings.

The invention having thus been described what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a firearm including a receiver and a magazine, a cartridge feed mechanism comprising a closure member pivotally mounted to the receiver, said member having a central cavity defined by two spaced side walls, a carrier pivotally supported within said cavity and movable relative thereto, resilient means for urging the carrier to a predetermined position relative to the closure member, said member being movable to a position wherein the carrier is conditioned to receive a cartridge from the magazine and movable to a second position wherein the carrier is conditioned to discharge the cartridge, an action slide movable from a position corresponding to said cartridge receiving position to a second position corresponding to said cartridge discharge position, pin means connecting the closure member and the action slide operative when the slide is in said second position to move the member relative to the magazine whereby said spaced sidewalls are disposed in a position to block further discharge of cartridges from the magazine, said side walls presenting a symmetrical abutment to said blocked magazine.

2. In a firearm including a receiver and a magazine, a cartridge feed mechanism comprising a closure member having a U-shaped configuration in cross-section pivotally the carrier is conditioned to discharge cartridges, an action slide formed with a cam slot movable from a position corresponding to said cartridge receiving position to a second position corresponding to saidcartridge discharge position, pin means connecting the closure member and the cam slot operative when the slide is in said second position to move the member relative to the magazine whereby the member is disposed in a position to block' further. discharge of cartridges from the magazine.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED SIATES PATENTS Whitten et al. Aug.. 1, 1893 Sparks Jan. 16, 1906 Johnson June 14, 1910 Loomis May 9, 1933 8 Brewer Dec. 10, 1940 Brewer July 14, 1942 Raising "1. July 13, 1943 Horan June 6, 1944 Lowe Feb. 13, 1945 Crittendon et al. June 26, 1956 

